Lighting device



H. V. SHORT LIGHTING DEVICE i Jan. 18, 1966 .LMP

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Filed April 22, 196s FIGZ H. V. SHORT LIGHTING DEVICE Jan. 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1963 FIGIO i mn K f f TW V i n H m m .W m /m United States Patent O 3,230,360 LIGHTING DEVICE Herbert V. Short, 2703 Melrose, Alton, Ill. Filed Apr. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 274,395 Claims. (Cl. 24.11-51.11)

This invention relates to fluorescent lighting devices.

With the exception of a few applications, such as bathroom fixtures, gooseneck rea-ding lamps and Ithe like, fluorescent lamps are presently used almost exclusively in overhead fixtures.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a portable fluorescent lighting device which is attractively decorative in appearance, effective to give usable light, and which is efficient, easy to manufacture, convenient to use and simple to maintain.

Other `objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing,

FIGURE l is a view in front elevation of one embodiment of lighting device of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in rear elevation of an embodiment of lighting device of this invention which may be the same as the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view in side elevation of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a se-ctional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken along the line 5 5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional View taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the base of the device shown in FIGURE 2, with the trotter diffuser removed;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the lower end of a back panel;

FIGURE 9 is a view in side elevation of another embodiment of the device of this invention; and

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of FIGURE 9.

In accordance with this invention, generally stated, a fluorescent lighting device is provided which includes an elongate, light-transmitting fluorescent lamp support, which carries, on opposite ends, fluorescent lamp sockets. Conductors are carried by and preferably Within the support and are connected to at least one of the sockets. A base is provided which contains electrical accessories for a fluorescent lamp. The top surface of the base is adapted to receive one end of the support. Electrical connections are provided between the electrical accessories within the base and the conductors and the fluorescent lamp sockets.

Preferably, the support takes the form of a vertically oriented trolfer surrounding a fluorescent tube about 270. For example, the troffer can be rectangular, and open on one side. The conductors preferably extend along edges of the side walls, but it is also contemplated that the conductors may take the form of substantially ilat, relatively wide strips which serve a decorative function. In the embodiment in which .a trotter-diffuser is also the support, end walls are provided, the top one of which carries, on its inside surface, a socket for a fluorescent lamp. The bottom end wall also carries such a socket, on its inside surface. The open side of the troffer lmay be closed by a removable side wall which may be entirely light transmitting or which may carry on its inside surface a reflecting metallic strip, which serves the double function of reflecting light, and it is believed, giving better electrical characteristics to the fluorescent lamp. The removable side wall may be provided with slots to `provide ventilation.

lCC

Referring now to the drawing for an illustrative embodiment of this invention, and particularly to FIGURES 1-8, reference numeral 1 indicates one embodiment of lamp constructed in accordance with this invention. The lamp 1 includes a base 2 and a vertical, light transmitting troiler-diffuser 3. The trofler-diifuser 3 is made of a suitable light-transmitting plastic, such as polystyrene, which contains sufficient pigment to render it translucent, hiding a fluorescent tube 30 when it is unlighted, but transmitting light from the tube.

The trotter-diffuser 3 has three walls which are either integral with or secured to one another: front wall 4, and side walls 5 and 6, and in the embodiment shown in FIGURES 2 and 5-8, a removable rear wall 7. The rear wall or panel 7 has a central strip 8 of reilective and electrically conductive material, and top slots 9 and bottom slots 10, to provide ventilation. In addition, the panel 7 has, at its lower edge, a ground clip 11, connected to the strip 8 and to a ground connection 12 in the base 2, when the lamp 'is assembled.

The troifer 3 also has a top 15 and a bottom 16 secured to opposite ends of the front and side Walls 4, 5 and 6. The top 15 carries, on its inside surface, a iluorescent tube socket 17. The bottom 16 carries, on its inside surface, a fluorescent tube socket 18. Each of the sockets 17 and 18 has a side opening 38 for the reception of tube prongs, directed toward the removable rear panel 7. Conductors 19 and 20 are electrically connected to the top socket 17 `and run down the back inside edge of the side walls 5 and 6 respectively. In this embodiment, the conductors 19 and 20 run in channels in beads 21 and 22 respectively, laminated to the inside surface of the side walls. The beads 21 and 22 are also of transparent or translucent materials. In other embodiments, the conductors may be contained in channels cut into the edges of the side walls themselves, or may take the form of flat, thin conductors laminated into two ply walls. The embodiment being described is a simple and effective one.

The conductors 19 and 20 are electrically connected at their lower ends to male connectors (prongs) 23 and 24 respectively. The lower socket 18 is electrically connected to male connectors (prongs) 25. It can be seen that the troffer-diiluser 3 is a completely selfcontained unit, with self-supporting light-transmitting walls, tube-receiving sockets, a fluorescent tube, and plug-in connections. It can be seen that such a trotter-diffuser can be demounted for cleaning, replacement of tubes (though tubes can be inserted and removed without demounting the trolferdiffuser) or repair (though, absent some accident, no repair should be necessary).

The base 2 contains the usual ballast 26, the body of an on-off switch 27, and interconnecting wiring, including electrical connection toa source of current (generally ordinary household v., 60 cycle A.C.) not here shown. The base has, in its top, sockets 33, 34 and 35, complementary to prongs 23, 24 and 25 respectively.

A collar 36, secured to the base, is proportioned snugly to receive the lower end of tr-oifer-diffuser 3, so as to give added support to the treffer-diffuser, and to conceal any gap caused by imperfect abutment of the troifer-diifuser bottom and the upper face of the base.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 9 and l0, a vertical tube support 50 is provided, independent of a shade, of transparent or translucent, but in any event light transmitting material. The tube support 50 includes a cylindrical column S1, with diametrically opposed channels 52 formed lengthwise in it, and llat, thin conductors 53 in the channels, tube sockets 54 mounted on opposite ends of the column 51 and electrical connections to the socket. The base of this embodiment is substantially the same as the base of the embodiments shown in FIG- URES 1 8, except that the sockets for reception of prongs embodiment.

A shade or diffuser of any desired configuration or character can be used in connection with the device of FIGURES 9 and 10, but the column 51 will not substantially diminish the amount of light transmitted in any direction, and the conductors 53, having their narrow edge toward the tube will be scarcely detectable through a translucent shade when the lamp is lighted.

It can be seen that the broad thin conductors of the second embodiment of device can be used in the walls kof the rst embodiment, for decorative eect. The conductors can be put into shallow channels in the inside surface of the walls or laminated between two sheets mak` ing up the walls, or confined by a bead as iin the iirst embodiment, and may be positioned anywhere it is desired rto display them.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A iiuorescent lighting device compnising a t1-offerditfuser having side walls of light transmitting material normally oriented vertically, conductors extending along and rwithin said side walls, end walls each carrying a fluorescent tube socket, said end walls being secured to said side walls to form an integrated trofferdiffuser-fluorescent tube carrier, a base containing electrical accessories including a transformer for a fluorescent tube, said base having a top wall adapted at its upper surface demountably and remountably to receive one `of the end walls of said troier, and plug and socket type electrical connectors in said one end wall and said bottom wall connected to make electrical connection between said electri- 35 cal accessories in said base, said conductors, and said iiuorescent tube sockets.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the conductor lies in channels formed within two side walls interiorly of the troiier and adjacent edges thereof.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the conductors are laminated within the material of said side walls.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the conductors are iiat strips and perform a decorative function.

5. A fluorescent lighting device comprising an elongate, light transmitting fluorescent tube supp-ort carrying, on opposite ends, fluorescent tube sockets, conductors carried by and within said support and connected to at least one of said sockets, a base containing electrical accessories including a transformer ior a uorescent tube, said base having a top wall adapted on its upper surface de- -m-ountably and remountably to receive one end of said support, and plug and socket type electrical connectors in said one end and said base wall and connected to make electrical connection between said electrical accessories in said base, said conductors and said fluorescent tube sockets.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,298,336 10/ 1942 Babb.

2,336,750 12/1943 Roney etal 240--51.11 X 2,440,668 4/ 1948 Tarbox 174-117 X 2,631,225 3/ 1953 Gadomski 24U-51.11 2,645,709 7/ 1953 Thorstensen 240-81 2,679,578 5/1-954 Hanger 240--51.11 2,821,800 2/1958 Hardesty 240-2.1 2,847,560 8/1958 Peak et al. 24U-8.16 2,998,840 9/ 1961 Davis 174-117 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES R. RHODES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FLUORESCENT LIGHTING DEVICE COMPRISING A TROFFERDIFFUSER HAVING SIDE WALLS OF LIGHT TRANSMITTING MATERIAL NORMALLY ORIENTED VERTICALLY, CONDUCTORS EXTENDING ALONG AND WITHIN SAID SIDE WALLS, END WALLS EACH CARRYING A FLUORESCENT TUBE SOCKET, SAID END WALLS BEING SECURED TO SAID SIDE WALLS TO FORM AN INTEGRATED TROFFER-DIFFUSER--FLUORESCENT TUBE CARRIER, A BASE CONTAINING ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES INCLUDING A TRANSFOMER FOR A FLUORESCENT TUBE, SAID BASE HAVING A TOP WALL ADAPTED AT ITS UPPER SURFACE DEMOUNTABLY AND REMOUNTABLY TO RECEIVE ONE OF THE END WALLS OF SAID TROFFER, AND PLUG AND SOCKET TYPE ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS IN SAID ONE END WALL AND SAID BOTTOM WALL CONNECTED TO MAKE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES IN SAID BASE, SAID CONDUCTORS, AND SAID FLUORESCENT TUBE SOCKETS. 